DW's team of the week: Matchday 27
Julian Brandt put in a productive shift for Bayer Leverkusen, and Ralf Fährmann's super-human effort sealed three points for Schalke. Their performances earned them places in DW's team of the week for Matchday 27.
Goalkeeper: Ralf Fährmann
Based on how well they played, Borussia Mönchengladbach could have had four goals, had it not been for Fährmann. The Schalke goalkeeper was at his best, batting away a flurry of shots before full time to pull his club back into fourth place. He had a little help from the crossbar and a post, but with a disorganized defense in front of him, he deserves a lot of credit.
Defender: Frederik Sorensen
Containing Bayern Munich is not easy for any team, but Sorensen did just that for Cologne on Saturday. The defender did not stop every move Bayern made, but was able to break up enough of them to keep Cologne in the game after a defensive mistake. The Billy Goats were unable to reward his efforts with a late equalizer, but his performance was too good to go unnoticed.
Defender: Jonathan Tah
Tah was one of the Leverkusen players whose head was hanging after Villarreal knocked the German club out of the Europa League. He redeemed himself in Leverkusen's win over Stuttgart. He kept up with the pace of Stuttgart's attacking players to help secure the clean sheet.
Defender: Santiago Garcia
With the way Mainz's attack is playing lately, Garcia (left) had a tough task. But he was equal to it, and Werder Bremen secured an important point because of him. Claudio Pizarro may have received all the headlines after matching Marco Bode's record with the Green and Whites, but Garcia deserves some of the applause for his efforts.
Midfielder: Genki Haraguchi
In an overachieving team, there are overachieving talents, but Haraguchi has not been one of them this season. That changed in Hertha Berlin's victory over Ingolstadt, a game in which Haraguchi played a role in both of his team's goals. With the form of Salomon Kalou and Vedad Ibisevic dipping slightly, Haraguchi's contributions could help ensure Hertha reach the Champions League.
Midfielder: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
Granit Xhaka has an argument for taking this spot with his dominance in defensive midfield, but Hojbjerg's efforts helped lead Schalke to a crucial victory. The Danish midfielder was all over the park, filling the void Schalke left between the defense and the attack. Although he wasn't terribly effective going forward, his presence in midfield helped move Schalke up the table.
Midfielder: Thiago Alcantara
He needed 20 minutes to make a difference in midfield for Bayern Munich in their midweek spectacle against Juventus, but the Spanish midfielder also made his mark over the weekend as well. The Bayern attack often flowed through him, and he even rose up for a few chances in Cologne's penalty area. He will always be a key part of Bayern's midfield as long as he can stay healthy.
Midfielder: Leon Goretzka
Goretzka's late goal for Schalke saw the club jump back into fourth place, but he did a lot more on Friday night than just scoring that goal. He did a lot of dirty work for his club, tracking back and building up the play from the defense. With so much young talent, he is a player who is often forgotten about, but maybe this should not be the case.
Forward: Julian Brandt
With Leverkusen in dire need of a squad rotation, Brandt (right) got a chance to show his stuff against Stuttgart. He came to play, working with Karim Bellarabi to give Leverkusen an early two-goal lead. Brandt could be the type of player that sparks Leverkusen back into form, and if he does, he may secure a long-term role in the first team.
Forward: Kevin Volland
Several players at Hoffenheim have greatly benefited from the appointment of Julian Nagelsmann, but none more than Volland (middle). The forward was in top form against Hamburg, scoring on a free kick and assisting on Eduardo Vargas's goal. He helped Hoffenheim to their first road victory since January, and now has the chance to prove he should be part of Germany's squad for Euro 2016.
Forward: Henrikh Mkhitaryan
In the first half of Dortmund's match against Augsburg, they looked like they were going to concede more valuable points to Bayern Munich. Mkhitaryan (middle) ensured that did not happen, scoring just before halftime and changing the dynamics of the game. Adrian Ramos may have made more tangible contributions to Dortmund's win, but Mkhitaryan was there when BVB needed him most.